Become a superhero on World Toilet Day

News

Dress like a Sanitation Superhero on World Toilet Day, Wednesday 19 November, to raise money and awareness for the 2.5 billion people living without access to a toilet.

Paul Nichols, Chief Executive of WaterAid Australia said the Sanitation Superheroes fundraising campaign is a fun way to shed light on a serious issue.

“At present, more people in the world have access to a mobile phone than a toilet, yet tragically more than 500,000 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation,” Mr Nichols said.

“For every $50 raised, WaterAid can help a family in one of the world’s poorest communities design and build their own hygienic pit toilet.”

“Without safe toilets, children die from diseases related to poor sanitation and unsafe water, women and girls are vulnerable to attack, and productivity is lost to sickness,” Mr Nichols said.

To become a Sanitation Superhero and raise money to save lives in the world’s poorest communities, you need to register at www.sanitationsuperheroes.org.au. On World Toilet Day people are invited to dress up as a superhero at their workplace or school and ask for donations and share pictures using #SanitationSuperheroes on social media.

“If dressing up is not your thing, that’s fine too. You can still be a Sanitation Superhero by signing WaterAid’s Everyone, Everywhere petition to help provide water, sanitation and hygiene to everyone, everywhere by 2030.”

Over the past two centuries, toilets have added 20 years to our life expectancy. Last year WaterAid helped 2.9 million people gain access to toilets – that's 8,000 people a day.